


Precious Presents

by Ncie0h43nnbfej2



Category: HEARTBEAT (Video Game)
Genre: Family Reunions, Gen, Hanging Out, Holidays, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21956092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ncie0h43nnbfej2/pseuds/Ncie0h43nnbfej2
Summary: Winter holidays bring June and Ann together, as well as their families.
Kudos: 4





	Precious Presents

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an event, for Melon.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this fic!

“Alright people, get it together! We’re gonna be late for your movie!” Ann said, putting on a coat.

The Galliards were already one foot out of the door, however, wrapped in warm clothes, hats on, waiting for her, instead. Chip was wearing something of a much puffier, longer variation of her usual outfit, coupled with a fur cap with large ear flaps. Blitz was finally wearing something else than his usual shirt… this time, without a doubt, it was the same-looking shirt, but with this long caramel-coloured overcoat, just his size - a perfect fit, complete with slick-looking gloves and a warm flat cap. Rick didn’t give up on his usual attire, only had a puffy winter coat over it, which made him look a bit like a chunky, clumsy spaceman - he really didn’t like it, but didn’t want to freeze either. The young one was constantly trying to unzip his coat a bit lower, but Blitz - so attentive - would always spot it just in time.

“Agh, do you think I need a scarf or something? What’s the temperature outside?”

“Minus twenty,” the trio said in unison. They’ve told her that at least five times at that point.

“That’s winter, that’s definitely winter… Fine, I’ll just,” Ann said, wrapping a pretty red scarf around her neck, “I’ll go with this... “

She finished her outfit, finally, with a prete white beret. Elegant, as always.

“Alright, can we go already? My feet hurt!” Chip grumbled.

“We turned the stove off, right?” Ann said as she was locking the door to their apartment. In the distance, down the stairs, she heard her family respond, in unison:

“Yes!”

The movie theatre they were going to was situated in Otecho. The young town of all sorts of fun finally afforded and built it in just under a year, having utilized an abandoned hangar as base for the new project. It did only have two halls, but the quality of equipment was excellent, at least, although you had to book your tickets way in advance. People in Aeros, however, were also excited to learn that their town would have their own cinema built atop the large smallmart, coupled with a small food court. In the past couple years, towns in Piecewood were almost competing at kickstarting new businesses - often to make their image more pleasing to people moving to country from bigger cities. Somehow, it had been becoming much more frequent. Humans just couldn’t sit in one spot for too long, perhaps.

What was important, however, is one of the reasons their family outing was to happen - they were going to watch it together with June, Ann’s younger cousin from Solburg. They were sure to take up at least half of a row in the theatre, considering Sanjo was also bringing her two Mogwai, Troz and Rex, with her. The two were apparently very excited to watch the movie.

“What’s this so-called ‘movie’ is going to be about?” Chip asked, a bit muffled by the amount of fur from her coat’s collar in front of her face.

“Chip… I’ve told you like, ten times already,” Rick looked rather miserable.

“Be nice to Chip and tell her if she forgot, don’t be a meanie! Gosh! While I search for my keys…” Ann scolded her brother just a bit, rummaging through her own bag for car keys.

“Okay. Well, it’s about this band of superheroes, humans who trained their magical abilities to the max. And they’re banding together, despite their differences, to fight an evil guy…” Rick began re-telling the premise, but was soon interrupted.

“So, wait, this is different from that Redwood show?” Chip sounded genuinely confused.

“... Yes, that one is a TV show, and it’s about Wild Solum, whole different universe.”

“Hrm. Huff. I liked that one. The actress in it is very handsome!”

“Actually, she’s in this one, too, I think,” Rick said, thinking, squinting a little bit.

“Really?! We have to see it now,” Chip said, chuckling to herself.

“Well, we are going to see it…” Blitz mumbled. “Wait a minute, can’t we just take the sewers?”

“Can’t we just take the sewers?! Blitz, what do you think’s gonna happen to my coat if we go in there? I just got it back from dry-cleaner’s after that time Chip-” Ann was saying, annoyed. She also fiddled with the keys she’d found too much, dropping them in the process, “Son of a-a-a-absint. Ahem.”

She got quite close to donating to their swear jar. For a moment, she could even feel her brother’s stare piercing a hole in the back of her head as she picked up the keys.

“Well, I heard they refurbished the place quite a bit. What was the last time you went there?” Blitz asked, motioning his hand towards where the manhole to the sewer system was. Surprisingly, it had a sign right next to it, some festive lights wrapped around it.

“... A year ago.”

“Jeez, get on with the times. I take it to the grocery store, daily,” Rick snickered.

“Rick, we have a grocery store right here! Uh… Fine. But I swear if a single stain appears on this coat.”

The family watched her storm towards the sewer entrance. She was surely quite worried about preparing for this day. The whole week, the talk’s only been about June, meeting her, getting gifts for June and her Mogwai. They all understood and respected that, of course, despite not really getting the deepest intricacies - if any were there - of the worrisome attitude.

Everyone climbed down the ladder - which was seemingly polished just before the holidays to look especially shiny. Blitz then covered the entrance with the lid when it was his turn to descend.

“Rex! Where’s your hat!”

“Whut? My hat?”

“Yes, silly kitty, your hat, you’re gonna get cold…”

“Dude, you’re not wearing one either.”

June furrowed her eyebrows and felt a bit outplayed. Rex wasn’t wrong.

“I have my earmuffs though though…”

“If you don’t want a hat, can I have it?” Troz interjected, seemingly oblivious.

“Troz, you already have a hat,” June poked the cerberus’ in the head softly, pointing out the large woven beanie she was wearing - it was a gift Troz got from Choi last time they paid the old conjurer a visit.

“I want more hats,” she responded, snickering in a very menacing way.

“Look, guys, let’s calm down. Fine. I’ll just… We’ll figure it out.

“Yeah, maybe if I got something cool to wear then I would,” Rex muttered.

“It’s OK Rex, you’re cool even without a hat!” her friend reassured Kimaris.

“D- Don’t encourage her! You guys…” June slammed the door to their house shut and locked it quickly, not really bothering to check anything before leaving.

Perhaps she could pay a visit to Choi at some point again, this time get headgear for Rex. The young manticore was rather picky about her clothes, especially the belts - there was something so important about belts that the only delay before going out, ever, was Rex picking the right one for her outfit. Not that it should have been difficult - her outfit was mostly the same every day. But June didn’t mind, she loved her Mogwai companions, especially for their personalities. At the same time so balanced but also different. She wondered, however, if Rex and Troz really did like her, or stuck around because they had nowhere to go. How long would their companionship last? No, then was not the time to think such thoughts. She shook her head, hissing quietly to herself.

“Are you OK dude?” Rex asked her.

“Yeah… yeah, girl, I’m fine. Just remembered something embarrassing from a long, long time ago, you ever get that?” June made up an excuse.

“Wow, now I do, thanks,” Rex’s face visibly twisted as she shuddered.

“I remember the time when Rex…” Troz began speaking, but was silenced by Rex who put her in a choke hold, roaring, as a joke of course - but the young manticore was quite agile, enough to spar with the mighty cerberus at times.

Their group went straight through the piles of snow - no one had bothered to clear a path beforehand.

They also had to spend quite a bit of time searching for the sewer entrance - it’d be just unwise to take the Solburg Tunnel. Too far away, too clumsy, and the whole underground place didn’t look so nice either - the gnomes apparently had their own holidays on different days. Rex was often reluctant to go there, too.

Luckily, the Sewer Crew apparently installed nice festive-looking signs next to the manholes - inviting people to use the unusual mean of transportation more often. Not to mention the business possibilities - it was rumoured that Ven expanded her shop with the help of more Tiny Oni employees to also provide items to people who wouldn’t be interested in her usual achemized stock. June and her Mogwai found the entrance, Troz dropped down and - without hesitation - dug away all of the snow covering the manhole with ease. They descended into the darkness of the sewers. Upon reaching the floor at the bottom of the ladder, they were surprised to find a couple of rugs spread over the floor, for people entering to wipe their boots with.

“Huh, they sure worked on this place,” June muttered, stomping the rug a couple of times.

“Holy crap, dude, look!” Rex grabbed Troz by the collar and pointed forward, getting her friend’s attention.

The whole sewer hall area was illuminated with beautiful multi-coloured lights, hand-made decorations - flowers, prickly spruce branches, snowberries and even candles standing here and there on rather archaic-looking chandeliers. Not to mention the fact the floor looked sweeped up and cleaner than ever, as well as every grate leading to actual sewer water was covered up with more decorations or huge papier-mache holiday gift boxes with large ribbons.

The two young Mogwai ran into the hall and had their own fun grabbing each other and pulling aside, pointing at something they noticed, then repeating the process with the pointer and the beholder roles switched. Both Rex and Troz were easily excitable about, well, anything.

June, on the other hand, felt her heart sink somewhere deep for a bit.

“Oh crap,” she whispered, covering her mouth, as she looked at the large presents decorations. She forgot presents for Ann and the rest. Rex and Troz probably didn’t have any either, but they were Mogwai - these always had a trick up their sleeve in their hammerspaces… she couldn’t tell how many times Troz pulled something awful out of hers - like a whole bag of frogs, a basket of rotten mushrooms or a whole Tiny Oni.

Sanjo quickly looked around, and soon spotted Ven’s shop. It was seemingly expanded way past its usual area, now consisting of commercial shelves for usual gifts and necessities and the old workshop, where Ven herself stood behind the counter. She had already noticed June - and waved at her, shooting her a cute smile and a wink or two, perhaps. Although severely distressed, the forgetful photographer couldn’t help but blush a little bit - the alchemist was very, very charming. She wished she could take a picture of her. But then was not the time.

“Erm, ah, eh…”

“At loss of words, hm?”

“Ven- I need something nice, I need to get some presents.”

“Well, you still got time.”

“I mean, yeah, but not really. Anyway, uh… Uh. Do you have something elegant… something very pretty, an accessory maybe?” June asked, looking around the shop frantically.

“I have a perfect idea - I’ve recently created the most exquisite rapier… sharp, precise, deadly. Heart-piercer. That’s what I call it,” Ven boasted, walking a bit aside, perhaps going to retrieve the weapon.

“Call that a… heart-attack!” Rex said, setting her elbow on the counter and smiling as she looked at Ven. Charming.

The shopkeep giggled, flattered a little bit.

“That’s an interesting choice of vocabulary. Flashy. I should hire you as my, erm, PR. That the word?”

“I can be anything you w…” Rex was going to say, keeping her act up, when Troz suddenly interrupted her.

“Do you sell those, uh, do you sell those cool… superhero action figures? Wuff,” she said, sniffling a bit. The cold weather got to her nose.

“Ah, I knew getting those would work. Everyone becomes so prone to gathering collectibles. Take a look at a shelf over there, sweetie,” Ven said in a soothing voice, pointing at a display case somewhere in the distance, also noticing how irritated Rex looked when her most trustworthy ally ruined her charming performance.

“Thanks!” Troz said, shuffling over to the spot, almost stepping on a Tiny Oni worker in the process.

“Watch it, man!”

“Am no man…” she chuckled menacingly.

“Look, Ven, I need something nice, something fine. It’s for Ann. We haven’t seen each other in a while. And maybe something for Rick…”

“I think Troz is on that task. I don’t know why she likes hanging out with him that much, online I mean. They really like those super heroes, I guess,” Rex grumbled.

Ven browsed through her own catalogue calmly, keeping an eye on distressed June.

“Oh, is that so? What kind of stuff are you into, Rexie?”

The manticore felt her cheeks warm up.

“Um, I like… Jane Wond kinda stuff more,” Rex said, scratching the back of her head.

“A-a-ah, I get it,” Ven said, flipping another page of the catalogue. “Very thrilling stories. Spies and stuff…”

“I wanna learn how to play poker after Casino Fatale!” Rex smiled wide, happy someone recognized her interest.

“C-could we please find the gift already, if you two don’t mind?” June seemed rather annoyed at this point.

“Well, I could offer you a wonderful new fragrance - by yours truly - called Sparkling Joy - an aroma of Ann’s favourite…” Ven said, her elbow on the table, propping up her cheek, “And, perhaps, this new book by…”

“Better not be B. O. Mann. So overrated,” June said, squinting.

“It’s by his son, actually. It’s about running a business.”

“Huh. Maybe Ann would like to drop that Smallmart stuff at some point… Sure, I’ll have both items…” June said, reaching for her wallet.

Troz approached the counter and slapped a plastic pack with an action figure in it on the counter.

“And this cool figure of Bore, the thunder warrior!” she said, very proud of herself that she had found it.

“... Doesn’t Rick like those that don’t use weapons?” Rex asked, curious.

“Well, yeah, but his collection isn’t complete without Bore. Plus, Bore has such a loveable personality. Just like me! Wuff!”

“... Ri-i-ight,” Rex concluded. She took a look to the side and, in fact, noticed Ann and her family enter the sewers hall as well. “Holy crap, look, it’s Ann!”

June felt like her face went pale.

“Guys- Guys. Please get their attention. I gotta pay for this real quick and hide it… Come on, Ven! Can’t you go a bit faster?! I need something for Blitz and Chip too...” June panicked.

Ven yawned and stretched her arms a bit, closing her eyes.

“Mmm, the card thing is malfunctioning today…”

Determined to help their conjurer, Troz and Rex charged forward - so energetic and flashy as always - they managed to capture Ann and others’ attention quite soon… although it seemed almost as if their group was going to climb over to Otecho any moment then, without even noticing.

“Oh my! Look who it is! I suppose we all are a little bit late, aren’t we?” Ann smiled, shaking hands with Rex and Troz gladly, patting them on their heads. “Rex, isn’t it cold outside without a hat?”

“... Your beret isn’t even covering your ears,” the manticore noticed, in a serious tone.

“Ha-ha… okay, sure…” Ann looked quite mancing saying that.

“Girls!” Rick said, hopping over to them. He and the two exchanged hugs and pats, happy to see each other. “Are you excited for the new movie? I mean… I guess everyone is. It’s the biggest release this year. We’ve never had all the superheroes in one thing before…”

“I mean, if they keep it a rare occurrence and not, like, six movies in a row, it should be fine enough,” Rex thought out loud.

“Hah! No one’s gonna watch it if they drag it on like that!” Troz was sure of it.

“Well, I’d watch regardless, I guess. Anyway. I’m super glad we get to watch it on the first day of release. I’m not getting anything spoiled…” Rick said, quite proud of it all.

“They better not hurt Human Kind in this one!” Troz said, and it sounded almost like a threat. “He’s the kindest hero of them all.”

“I do like my own works so much more, but I must- hm, I must admit Human Kind is great. Good taste. He also just fights with his own powers…” Rick rambled a little bit.

Rex looked a bit lost listening to the two talk about it, not falling within the same category of interests. Blitz and Chip, on the other hand, were attentively listening to the conversation, considering they wanted to know a bit more about the movie they were going to watch. Ann shuffled in her spot uncomfortably, wondering when would they get moving again. Didn’t want to be actually late - not “panicking” late.

“Oh my gosh! Ann! I can’t believe you’re here, too!” June joined as soon as the gifts were paid for and hidden. She lunged at Ann and gave her a big, big hug. At first her cousin was almost startled, but recovered soon enough.

“Didn’t recognize you there at first! The cold weather got us all dressing a bit different…” Ann muttered.

“Do you get many girls jumping on you, huh? And you’re the one to speak… look at you. Your outfit just screams it’s you wearing it, he-he-he…” June chuckled softly, squeezing Ann in the hug a little bit more, making her cough and feint a couple more funny noises, as if she’s being crushed.

“Oh stop it you, quit it!”

“June is strong!” Chip noticed, excited. She sometimes also ‘applied force’ to Ann as a way of showing affection.

“Please, before I have to expend all of my insurance company’s money on repairing my ribs…”

“Ahh, ribs,” Troz mumbled, almost hearing the sizzling of a grill.

“Wrong ribs!” Rex cackled, playfully slapping her friend on the back of the head.

They were soon at the cinema. People were gradually gathering at the entrances to the halls, some chose to simply wait, some decided to purchase some snacks before they’d be let inside. Ann wasn’t very fond of what they offered in theatres, but understood the appeal.

“... Could we have a big popcorn basket? Pretty please?” Rick asked, looking all cute. He knew how to seem that way to ask for a little extra things. Despite that, he was still a very well-behaved young man, and Ann just couldn’t refuse.

“Isn’t a large one a bit too much for you?” she said, softly laughing as she pulled her wallet out.

“It’s not just for me, it’s for Blitz and Chip too!”

She felt her heart melt and her eyes almost water.

“Ha-ah, of course. For these two… Well, go wash your hands, though, we just went through the sewers…” she said, overjoyed, and watched Rick leave. She then shot a quick look at Blitz and Chip. “And what do you think you’re doin’ standing like this? You go wash ‘em too!”

The two Mogwai quickly went away and followed Rick. Troz and Rex, noticing the commotion, decided to go too, betting who’d be first to race to the bathroom. Everything was fun for those two.

“Awh, I don’t remember which one would my girls like…” June said, confused a bit as she looked up at the scarce menu displayed on several screens above the snacks vendor’s counter.

“Mine like salted,” Ann said.

“I think mine like the caramel one. Isn’t it too sweet?”

“I mean, they’re Mogwai. Probably won’t do them any good, nor any bad.”

“So, more like good, since they’ll be happy, right?”

“Heh, you could say that. Agh, wish they let you light one up in here…” Ann muttered. She then approached the vendor and requested some drinks and the popcorn.

“You seem to be so… good. At uh, handling it all,” June said quietly, leaning in from the back to Ann.

Her cousin looked back, scoffing.

“You mean, more like, ‘wrangling’, ha-ha. They can go crazy sometimes. Worse than part-timers in my store.”

“... I was a part-timer at your store once,” June said, and sounded a bit sad.

“Awh, not you. You did fine. You just found it boring and left, remember?” Ann reassured her, smiling so warmly. June admired the way her cousin was, sometimes.

“Well, you’re not wrong. Just, I don’t know. It’s hard sometimes,” June began telling her, yet it was soon her turn to order. She asked the vendor for some sweet popcorn and a couple of drinks, sugary as ever. Both young women stood at the side of the counter, holding a large bucket of popcorn each. Neither of them really liked the thing, but noticing how the baskets were filled so high up that some bits were almost falling out - they couldn’t resist picking those and giving it a try here and there.

“Such things, they take time, June. Imagine: how long have you been with Rex and Troz?” Ann said, stuffing her mouth with popcorn, blatantly at that point.

“... Watch it, there’ll be nothing left for your people, ha-ha,” June noticed.

“That’s fine, I can afford it.”

“Uh, I think I’ve been with them for a couple years now.”

“It’s been way longer for me and Rick, and Chip and Blitz. Time puts everything to test and strengthens your relationships. Or destroys them. We’re lucky so far, yes? Also pacted.”

“That’s true…” June looked down a bit.

Although it hasn’t been ages since she’d accepted Rex and Troz as her Mogwai, she still couldn’t imagine ever losing them. They were everything to her, even if the two young Mogs brought her more trouble than ever, not a single week without some sort of curiosity or accident.

“It’s… it’s just a lot of r-”

“We’re back! Hand over the popcorn!” Rex held both of them at finger gunpoints.

“Hey, don’t never point that at your family!” Ann said, bravely moving Rex’s hand away. The young Mogwai blushed a bit - she never intended to upset June’s cousin like that.

“Sorry… Um. So, is the movie soon?”

June never got the chance to finish what she was going to say. She took a look at the clock, at their tickets, and nodded.

“Alright, everyone follow me, let’s get our tickets checked and find our spots. We don’t wanna miss a bunch of trailers they’ll show, right?”

“I was browsing a catalogue of trailers recently. We need to buy a trailer,” Chip said, smiling wide.

“... That’s the wrong kind of trailer, Chip,” June said, laughing a little bit.

Their decision to book seats in the back of the theatre was a good idea. Chip would often lean in towards Rick and ask questions about movie, sometimes they’d be ones that they film itself would answer soon, but the minotaur was just so impatient. At least only the back of the theatre ahd to hear her mutter and mumble from time to time.

Rex and Troz seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, even getting rather vocal sometimes - but only when the rest of the moviegoers did so, too. Ann could hear Blitz sniffle at a couple of sad moments in the film and reach for his handkerchief.

June, though, was just glad to spend time with all of them, together. Despite being a huge fan of cinema of all sorts, this day it was rather hard for her to focus on her favourite actors on the screen. Sometimes, she looked to the side at Ann - who was sitting next to her - and watched her instead for a little while, wondering. She had all under her control, but was she happy? On the other hand, was June herself really happy while barely keeping things together? Or did it only seem so?

As they were leaving, she heard everyone around discussing the movie’s exciting ending. The young ones were in a heated argument over something, Blitz was carrying the empty popcorn baskets and drink cups, his eyes a bit red.

Their next stop would be a little coffee shop situated in one of the apartment complexes in Otecho. On the way there, June wondered whether they’d meet the local musicians such as Patch or the elusive Cache Monet. Ann would probably know the latter a bit more than June. She wanted to visit one of the fancy parties once, but overslept - somehow - an all-nighter party.

At least she had a fine sleeping schedule. For a moment there, sitting down at the table with everyone else, she got scared, forgetting whether she got the presents in the end or not. How embarrassing would it be, to forget the most important thing on holidays?

A big pot of tea was ordered, as well as some coffee. Oddly enough, while waiting for their order to be brought to the table, Rex and Troz thought they noticed someone familiar amongst the baristas deep behind the counter… A rather tall figure with long purple hair… although gathered in a big ponytail. Ridiculously big glasses were covering her eyes, but they could’ve sworn it was none other than…

Their tea arrived, and so did a nice slice of cake for each one of them. They immediately forgot whatever they had seen seconds ago.

“Ahhh, cake worthy of me!” Troz said, reaching for the slice with her hand.

“Troz, manners!” June said, blushing a little bit.

“Ah, wuff. Sorry.”

Their conversations continued, as everybody split into small talk groups around the table - Troz and Rick still excitedly arguing and agreeing about points in the movie they’d seen, Chip and Rex snickering and grumbling about something together, and Blitz sometimes tending to either of the two pairs with either a question or an answer.

Ann noticed June staring, not at anything in particular, and decided to give her shoulder a little rub. Her cousin came back to senses pretty quickly, eyes darting all around, uncomfortable.

“Hey, wake up. Your tea’s gone cold.”

“Thanks…” June grabbed the little cup and brought it to her lips.

“So, you were saying?”

“Huh?”

“You said, back then, before the movie. It was a lot, you said,” Ann looked serious.

“... Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I will. Tell me. It’s okay, they won’t hear.”

June shuffled in her seat, to be a bit closer to Ann. She leaned in and continued her thought, quietly.

“It’s just a lot, for me. I’m still not used to it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be. I know I was warned… by Eve and Klein, back then, accepting those pacts left and right. But it was necessary, at the time. Now? I’m just not so sure. I love the girls, they’re great, but I’m afraid I don’t know how to… do things, sometimes,” June was getting quieter and quieter. Looked down at the floor. “I feel like I never grew.”

“None of us really grew. Or at least, not many of us. That’s what I think. We’d need to learn a bit from Mogwai, maybe, they seem to be unapologetically true to themselves and others around. And what can we do but love them for that? That’s what we do. You said it yourself,” she took June by the hand, carefully, to comfort her. “Let’s focus on the positive. You saved their lives back then. You got a roof over their heads. You have a thing you love doing. May not be large, but you have an income. See it in a practical way.”

“I just don’t know if I’ll go far with anything… or anyone, like that,” Sanjo said very quietly, her cheeks a bit red.

Ann coughed a couple of times, looking around.

“Don’t even worry about this. I could give you advice. But not now. Now’s a gathering. You know you do have my number and all, right? Don’t be afraid to call, or write to me.”

“Ha-ha, I’d rather call… your texting skills are lacking.”

“I can’t believe I am so nice to you, and you just… destroy me, like that. Ugh,” Ann said, jokingly, shuffling a bit away.

They soon decided to exchange their gifts. Rick was excited to receive the action figure, confirming everyone’s suspicions - he was just one item away from completing his collection, and that very plastic guy would make it whole. For the rest of the evening, he seemed as happy as a boy could get.

At some point Chip reached into her pocket and pulled a couple of gold-plated (from the looks of it, but everyone doubted it was real gold) brass knuckles and passed them over to Troz. Most of the table protested, saying gifting something like that was a bit… unfestive, but the cerberus chuckled and accepted the gift happily, winking at Chip, who smiled back

“I swear, Chip, next time we’re buying…” Ann rubbed her forehead, although laughing a bit to herself, too.

June and her Mogwai also gifted Chip a set of very handy bookmarks of various sizes and colours which also allowed writing on the top bit - but more importantly, it also allowed erasing and writing a note again with ease. They gifted her some book covers as well - Chip cared about her books quite a bit, but was rather clumsy, therefore extra precautions were always welcome.

Chip looked in confusion and some kind of disappointment as Rex was handed a rather archaic-looking pocket tape player, as well as a couple tapes in pretty good condition. It was, of course, her beloved hip-hop sound, which she really appreciated.

“Hmpf. I’ll get you a real present. Like a taser or something. That would fit your powers…” Chip muttered.

Everyone - except Rex and Troz - immediately disagreed, scolding Chip for her violent choices, in a little bit of a joking way, but also concerned. Rex thanked the Galliards a hundred times, very excited to get to listen to the tunes.

Blitz got a rather sweet present - June managed to grab a cute-looking tie for him from Ven’s shop. In fact, a couple of them - she was in a hurry buying the presents, and scooped several instead. Ven also recommended a rather pricey pack of rare coffee beans from Sporegano. The minotaur was delighted by the present and promised he’d treat them to delicious coffee if they visited their household.

Soon, it was June and Ann’s turn to exchange presents. Ann saw the hesitation from June’s side - despite the fact the gifts that had been given so far were well-received. She gave june a magnifying lens for her camera - and a precious one, too. Although June may have not expected it, her cousin often browsed her blog to be up-to-date on Sanjo’s adventures. That’s where she had learned that June, unfortunately, got into a little fight with some wild Mogwai and the precious photo camera part was shattered by the feral creatures.

“Oh my gosh… Ann, you didn’t have to! It cost…” she said, gasping, but was interrupted by Ann.

“Shush. It’s OK. I know you needed this,” she explained, smiling. “Well, do I get something in return for a fair trade?”

“F-fair… Thank you so much. Hm. Well.”

She just wanted to jump up and squeeze her in a hug, again, like that time they met in the sewers before.

June shyly retrieved her gift for her cousin, put the elegant box with the fragrance down, as well as the book that was recommended to her by Ven.

“Oh my! I don’t… usually go stray from my brands, but this is some nice stuff!” Galliard said, twisting the box around in her hands. She showed it to her family, as if they actually knew what it was or how good it was. June felt odd. She wasn’t sure if Ann was joking or not.

“I like the box!” Chip said.

“It’s not just a box. It’s fragrance, made by Ven, a real alchemist. This will be good. Thank you very much, June. Good to see someone be considerate when they choose their gifts,” Ann said, shooting a glare at Chip.

“Pheh, whatever,” the minotaur blurted out.

“And what is this… a book? How to… Hm. Do you have an idea in mind, June?” Ann looked at her with a sly sort of smile.

“Maybe. Family business?”

“Hah! Interesting. Why not. Some day. I’ll give this a spin during my breaks. Or… maybe I’ll have Chip read it for me.”

“Only if you give me back fridge privileges at night!”

“Oh no. Ann, please, I’ll read it instead, just don’t let her…” Blitz said, almost panicking.

“Calm down! I’m just joking!” Ann said, covering her face with the book, laughing. “Thank you, June.”

June smiled, as she usually did. The worry was gone. They were all family, after all, no matter how busy and how far away.

“So, anyone wanna build some snowmogs?”

“I wanna build ‘em!” Troz said, eyes flashing with excitement.

“I’m gonna break them!” Rex yelled, making everyone a little bit embarrassed for a moment - but then again, no one around them really cared, every table was rather loud, celebrating, reuniting.

It felt fine. There was nothing wrong with the way their day went, despite all the horrible scenarios June had foreseen in her mind before leaving the house. Perhaps, soon enough she’d learn to accept and have fun with these sorts of outings and activities, too.

She watched Ann from afar. So strong-willed, charismatic, serious yet so lovable. Everyone liked but also respected her - something that June wished she had, at times. Perhaps, she was supposed to be perceived another way?

The events from years ago seemed fair then - even her fateful meeting with Troz and Rex, perhaps, did her much more good than bad in the end - getting her to socialize more, even making her many acquaintances and reuniting her with her family more often. It would take her, perhaps, much more time to fully accept all of it, but she was sure she’d manage. There were people who cared, a gift more precious than any.


End file.
